Butterflies part 44
by Kksaunt1
Summary: Thatchers are in Hope Valley


The next week was a busy one at the Thornton's. Caleb caught a cold and that made him more clingy and because Elizabeth found herself holding him more and wiping his nose, she caught it too. They were also preparing for William and Grace's arrival and Jack was called out of town for a few days. He was scheduled to return the same day William and Grace were so he was supposed to escort them back to the house so Elizabeth wouldn't have to take the kids outside.

"Mama? Is Daddy coming soon?"

"Yes, sweetie. He is bringing Grandma and Grandpa too, remember?"

"Yes. Are they nice?"

"Yes, and you will love them just as much as they will love you. Don't worry."

He went over and stood at the window to wait.

Elizabeth sat on the couch nursing Emmy while Maddie played on the floor with Caleb's blocks.

"Mama! I see them! They're here!" Caleb was jumping up and down and ran to open the door.

"Caleb, stay inside and shut the door, please. You are still sick and letting the warm air out."

"But Mama!"

"I know, but please do as I ask."

"Ok," he said quietly and walked back to the window. Elizabeth covered herself and the still nursing Emmy with a blanket and stood up to greet the visitors. She looked up just as Jack, William and Grace walked in with their luggage.

"Daddy!" Caleb beat her to Jack, so instead of kissing her husband hello, she started with William.

"Father, it's so good to see you!" He carefully hugged Elizabeth as he could only guess she held his newest granddaughter under the blanket.

"Beth. You look wonderful, Sweetheart."

"Thank you." She next hugged her mother and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too, Dear."

She looked at Jack and smiled. He held Maddie and Caleb in his arms and they were both clinging to him and giggling. "Everyone, give me one moment ok?"

She walked into Maddie's room for a moment and laid Emma in the crib so she could button up her shirt. Once she was situated and presentable, she picked her back up and went out to see everyone.

"Ok, Father, would you like to hold Emma?"

"Yes, please." He walked over and took her gently from Elizabeth's arms. "Beth, she's so beautiful."

"Thank you. I think she looks just like Maddie." He walked over to sit on the couch by Grace. Caleb was still clinging to Jack.

"She does, but she looks just like you and Jack too."

Elizabeth walked over to Jack and smiled. "Caleb, why don't you go get the pictures you colored for Grandma and Grandpa?"

"Ok!" Jack put him down and he ran to his room. Elizabeth promptly wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and kissed him, not caring who saw. "I missed you so much, " she whispered.

"Me too. How are you feeling?"

"I'm getting better. Emmy and Maddie are still healthy so that's a blessing."

"It is," Jack agreed. "I have to get back to town to finish paperwork."

Elizabeth tried not to show her disappointment but she failed. "You just got here."

"I know, I'm sorry." He kissed her again. "I'll see you later." She nodded. "Love you."

"I love you more."

Elizabeth turned and looked at everyone. "Maddie, Caleb. Come say goodbye to Daddy. He's going to work."

After kisses and hugs and one more for Elizabeth as well, Jack left and headed to town.

After Elizabeth got the girls in bed for a nap, she walked back out to try to convince Caleb.

"Caleb, you should take a nap too."

"Mama, please. Can't I stay with you?" Since he had caught his cold, he was more clingy and the last few days he had been taking a nap next to her, but at night he stayed in his own bed.

Elizabeth thought about it for a moment. "Ok, but you need to be quiet and try to sleep."

"Will you hold me?"

"Yes, come here." He climbed up into her lap and he put his head on her shoulder, his arms around her neck.

"Love you, Mama."

"Love you too, baby."

She tucked her legs under herself and leaned back and looked at her parents. They had been watching the exchange and Grace was amazed at the mother-son connection they seemed to have.

"Beth, tell us about all that's happened recently. It seems like you are pretty busy," Grace said.

"Yes, but it's a good busy. I wouldn't trade any of it."

"Tell us about Caleb. You said he has quite a story."

"He does. Jack found him one night when he was on assignment. He was huddled against a tree, cold and crying and hungry. No one knew him or could take him in. Jack asked around for the few weeks he was in the town. In the mean time, Caleb chose Jack to be his family and Jack became attached to him. Caleb wouldn't talk but he nodded or shook his head."

"What did you think when Jack came home with him?" her Father asked.

"My concern was that we didn't know him or that we would get attached to him and then someone would come take him away, or worse, that he was sick and we would lose him. However, I could see how much Jack loved him, in the few short weeks he had known him and how much he needed someone to take care of him. So he stayed." Caleb took a deep breath and sighed in his sleep. "I'm so glad he's here. I love him so much." She wrapped her arm around his little body as if protecting him from everything.

"We can see that, Sweetheart, but what happened to his family? I mean, why was he all alone?" her mother asked.

"He told us his family was sick and then died. Is he still asleep?" She asked her Father.

"Yes he is."

"Ok, I'll be right back." She went in and put Caleb in his bed and came back to continue her story.

"Where was I?"

"His family died."

"Yes, his baby sister Katie and his Father died first. His mom made him stay in his room so he wouldn't get sick too. I'm guessing that's where his fear of darkness and being alone came from."

"That makes sense," her Mother agreed. "What happened to his Mother?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to hold it together.

"Beth?"

"She took her own life and Caleb saw her do it. He thought it was his fault that she died." The tears started falling.

"Beth, what is it?"

"I just don't understand. How could she leave him all alone? He's so young…I just don't understand."

"I don't know, Beth." her Father said. " We will never know why she did that, but always remember that you are his Mother now and he needs you."

"I need him. He makes me and everyone so happy. He is so sweet and he loves everyone he meets."

For the next few hours the three of them just sat there exchanging stories and catching up. Elizabeth decided she needed to get dinner started and Grace kept her company in the kitchen. She was making a ham roast with potatoes and green beans and she hoped Jack would pick up biscuits from Abigail's to go with it. "Mother, would you cut up these potatoes for me? I need to check on the kids."

"I don't know, Sweetheart. I'm not real handy in the kitchen."

"Mother, I already took the skin off. Just chop them up in smaller pieces and put them in the pot, ok? I'll be back shortly."

"I'll help you, Dear," Elizabeth's Father said from the doorway.

"What do you know about cooking, Will?" her mother asked with a twinkle in her eye. Elizabeth smiled at them. She had forgotten Grace's name for her Father. She didn't say it around other people very often. She had a feeling it was a private thing they shared, kind of like when she called Jack, Love. She walked out of the room and left them alone.

Maddie was talking to herself in her crib when Elizabeth walked in. "Mama? Up pease?"

"Hi, baby girl! Did you have a nice nap?" She peppered Maddie's face and neck with kisses causing her to giggle.

"Love Mama!" she squealed in between giggles.

"I love you too, baby. Let's see if Emmy's awake, ok?" They walked in and Emmy was starting to wake up so Elizabeth picked her up, changed her and then started to feed her.

"Hi, Mama!" Caleb said as he walked in the room.

"Hi, Caleb. Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yes, where's Grandma and Grandpa?"

"I think they're in the kitchen." She watched as he ran out of the room to find them.

"Daddy! You're home," Caleb said as he hugged Jack's legs.

"Hi, buddy. Yes I'm home. Where's your Mama?"

"Feeding Emmy. She eats a lot, Daddy." Jack chuckled.

"That's a good thing, Caleb. She eats a lot so she can get strong and grow up like you."

"I don't eat like that, Daddy. I eat food like you."

"Yes, but when you were little like Emma and you didn't have any teeth, your Mama fed you like that too."

"What is she eating?"

"She's drinking milk."

"Like a cow?"

Jack laughed. "Yes, but don't tell your Mama that."

"What's so funny, you two?" Elizabeth asked as she walked in the room.

"Daddy says you feed Emmy like a cow," Caleb answered with a giggle.

"That's not exactly what I said, Honey." She was standing there, looking at him with her scary teacher face and her hands on her hips.

"What exactly did you say, Constable?" Jack was trying very hard not to laugh but was losing miserably.

"Um, we are having company tonight."

"Nice change of subject. Who's coming?"

"Bill and Mom and Julie, Beth and Viola."

"That's a lot of people! I didn't make enough food for five more."

"Which is why I stopped by Abigail's and got more. Don't worry, we'll have enough." She walked past him and smacked his rear end. "We will talk later."

There was enough as Jack predicted. Caleb was amazed that he had two Grandma's and a Papa and a Grandpa there. He talked almost all of them into reading him and Maddie a story. When it came time for bed, Grandma Grace gave out presents.

"Mother you didn't have to bring gifts," Elizabeth insisted.

"I know, but I don't see them often and now that I'm seeing all my grandchildren in one night, I want to do something for them." She took them out one by one. "Caleb, this is for you." She pulled out a dark brown teddy bear with a blue ribbon around his neck.

"A bear! Look Mama! Like Brownie!"

"I see, but aren't you forgetting something?"

"Thank you, Grandma." He walked up and hugged Grace and kissed her cheek.

"You're welcome Caleb. I hope you like him."

"I do!" Grace pulled out teddy bears for Maddie, Beth and Emma too.

"Thank you, Mother. That is very sweet of you to bring those."

"My pleasure."

Elizabeth noticed Caleb was quiet and staring at Maddie's bear in particular with a very serious expression on his face. "Caleb, Sweetie, what is it?"

"Katie's bear, Mama."

"What? What do you mean?" He pointed at the bear Maddie was holding with a pink ribbon.

"Katie's bear."

"Did Katie have a bear like Maddie's?"

"Yes, pink ribbon. Katie's bear." She picked him up and cuddled him.

"Who's Katie?" Julie asked.

"Apparently his sister Katie had a bear just like Maddie's with a pink ribbon. I guess it made him remember her."

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," Grace told him. "I didn't know about Katie's bear." Caleb picked up on the sadness in Grace's voice.

"Grandma, it's ok." He hopped off Elizabeth's lap and went to hug his Grandma. "Don't be sad."

"Thank you for the hug, Caleb. I don't want you to be sad either." He climbed up into her lap and cuddled with her. "You're a very sweet boy. Mama was right."

Elizabeth was amazed once again by the kindness in her little boy. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. Jack winked at her from across the room. He mouthed the words "I love you."

"I love you," she mouthed back.

"Kids, it's time for bed. Give everyone hugs and kisses," Jack announced. It took awhile but eventually the kids were all tucked in and Jack went to clean up the kitchen. Elizabeth walked in deciding she wanted to help so they could have time alone. "Hi, Love."

Jack walked over and hugged her tightly. "Hi, Baby."

"Baby? That sounds pretty nice when you call me that."

"I heard you call Caleb that so I thought I'd try it out on you. I like it too." He kissed her cheek.

"I thought I'd help you clean up."

"You don't have to. You can rest if you want, I know it's been a long day."

"Jack, truthfully, I missed you, so I really just wanted to be in the same room with you, without children present."

"In that case, please stay." he said with a wink. She watched as he cleaned off everyone's plate and washed them and then put them away. He then put away the leftover food in the icebox and wiped the table and counters. It took him all of about twenty minutes and then he was finished. "Done," he said with a smile.

"Time for bed, Constable." Elizabeth said as she grabbed his hand, pulling him close to her.

"Is that right? I guess I need to give you kisses and hugs?" They both laughed.

"I think that's a pretty good idea."

"If you insist." He kissed her cheeks and then her nose and then he moved down to her neck, giving her goosebumps.

Julie walked in at that moment. "Oh, sorry," she giggled.

"There are way too many people in this house," Elizabeth muttered as she unwrapped herself from Jack's arms. Elizabeth and Jack walked out of the kitchen to see everyone putting their coats on.

Charlotte walked up and hugged them both. "Goodnight Sweetheart."

"Goodnight, Mom. Thanks for coming," Elizabeth said. "Good to see you Bill."

"You too, Elizabeth."

A few moments later the house was quiet. Grace and William went to the guest room and Jack and Elizabeth sat down on the couch to enjoy the quiet and the warm fire.

"How was your trip, Sweetie?"

"Lonely. I missed you." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her temple.

"I missed you too."

"Ok, so I need to clear up the thing with Caleb and the cow comment."

Elizabeth laughed. "This should be good."

"He came out just as I was getting home. I asked where you were and it started the conversation that Emma eats a lot and how he doesn't eat like that. Then he asked me what she was eating and I said milk and he said, "Like a cow?""

"Don't worry Jack. I can understand what he was thinking. It's pretty funny actually."

"Good, I'm glad you think that." She turned so she was leaning back on his chest.

"Jack, after rounds tomorrow, can you come home for a bit so I can go see Abigail? I'm worried about her and I need some time to myself."

"Sure. I can do that. Is there anything wrong?"

"No, not really. Just need some time." He nodded.

"Do you miss the way it used to be, Elizabeth? Before kids and before you stopped teaching. I mean, are you happy?"

"Jack, of course I'm happy." She touched his face. "I have everything I need, right here in this house. Sometimes, I need to be away from the house to just regroup, if that makes any sense. I love our family with all of my heart, but I also need to be by myself or go see a friend or something. Does that make sense?"

"Of course it does, I just wanted to make sure you were happy."

"I am, I promise." He nodded, looking into her eyes, trying to make sure. "You're still worried?"

"I don't know. I guess since I am gone everyday, I don't have those same feelings of needing to leave. I don't want you to feel trapped or…"

"No, Love. Not trapped," she interrupted. "I don't know how to explain it, but just to tell you that I love you and I need you and Caleb and Maddie and Emmy more than I need anything else. You complete my heart and I feel unbelievably happy to be married to you." She kissed him, pulling him close, trying to make him believe what she said. "I love you, Jack. Please don't ever think that I want to leave you or the kids, ok?"

"I love you too."

The next morning, Elizabeth finished feeding Emmy and got dressed to go to town. When she walked out into the living room Caleb ran up. "Mama, are you leaving?"

"When Daddy gets here. I'll be back very soon. I'm going to see Aunt Abigail."

"Ok, Mama." There was a time he would have begged her to stay home because he was afraid she wouldn't come back.

"I love you very much Caleb."

"I love you too, Mama."

Jack walked in the door and took off his coat and boots. "Hey everyone."

"Hi, Daddy. Mama is going to see Aunt Abigail, but she'll be back soon."

"Of course she will," he answered. Elizabeth detected a hint of something in his voice. She looked at him trying to see something, any clue.

She walked over to Jack and touched his arm. "Thank you for doing this, Sweetie. I'll be back in two hours."

"I'd do anything for you, you know."

"I know that."

"You can take Sergeant. He's ready to go." She nodded and kissed him.

"See you soon." He shut the door behind her and went to the living room.

Elizabeth arrived in town and few moments later, exhilarated from her ride in to town. She hadn't ridden a horse in a long time. She tied Sergeant to the post outside Abigail's and walked in. She found Frank at the kitchen table. "Morning Frank."

"Morning Elizabeth, how are you?"

"I'm just fine. How are you and Abigail doing?"

"I'm fine. She has been having a rough time. I'm really glad you came today. Maybe you could cheer her up."

"I'll try."

"Elizabeth, would you mind taking her some water and crackers? She needs to keep them in her system so she doesn't get sick."

"Of course. I'll take care of her for a few hours, if you need to step out, but then I have to get home."

"If I'm not back when you need to leave, ask Clara to come help. She is closing early today."

"Ok, I will."

Elizabeth climbed the stairs to Frank and Abigail's room and knocked on the door. "Abigail? It's Elizabeth. Can I come in?"

"Yes, Elizabeth. Please come in." Abigail slowly sat up in bed as Elizabeth walked in.

"I brought you water and crackers. How are you right now?"

"I'm ok. I should eat now so I don't get sick." Elizabeth handed her the tray and sat down next to her.

"How is everything at the Thornton's?"

"Pretty good. My parents are visiting because Father has business with the mill. Apparently Charles is around, but I haven't seen him."

"That's right. I remember Jack telling you they were coming. How's Caleb?"

"He's great. He loves having my parents there. My Mother brought all of the grandchildren teddy bears. He loves his, and apparently his sister had one that is just like Maddie's."

"That's sad. Poor little guy."

"He handled it ok. My Mother felt bad about bringing up those memories but he just walked over and told her it was ok and not to be sad. It made me cry."

Abigail finished the crackers and drank the water. "We'll see what happens now after eating and drinking that. I haven't kept anything down in a few days. So, Jack came home yesterday?"

"Yes, he did."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not really. He's just confusing sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, last night I asked if he could come home after rounds today so that I could come see you and have some time to myself."

"Ah."

"Did he start acting funny after that?"

"Yes, why?"

"When a man hears that you want time to yourself, he sometimes thinks you mean that you aren't happy or that makes him feel that he isn't doing enough, inadequate maybe."

"I just meant that I wanted to get out of the house."

"I know, but knowing Jack, he is going to try to go overboard to make sure you are happy. I think you should pay a little more attention to him than usual and just make sure he knows how happy you are. Men are unsure about things, just like us, they just don't express their feelings like we do."

Elizabeth nodded. "He just needs reassurance. I can do that. Thanks Abigail."

"You're welcome."

Elizabeth stayed for another hour and then Abigail slept and Clara came over to stay with her. Elizabeth took her time riding Sergeant home, thinking about everything and how she could reassure Jack. As she took Sergeant into the yard at their home, she gave him water and brushed him down, knowing he had worked hard already that day.

As she walked into the house she didn't hear anything. She smelled food because it appeared Jack had cooked lunch, so she went to the kitchen. "Hi, Beth. Did you have a good time?"

"Yes, I did, Mother. Thank you."

"How's Mrs. Hogan doing? Jack said she wasn't feeling well."

"She is ok today. Remember how sick I was with Maddie? She's not quite that bad, but similar. She ate some while I was there and kept it down, so it was a good day."

"That is good to hear."

"Is everyone sleeping?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Ok, thank you." She walked in to check on everyone. Maddie was in her crib, thumb in her mouth as usual, sleeping peacefully. Caleb was in his bed, snuggling his new teddy bear. She walked in and kissed his rosy cheeks. "I love you, sweet boy," she whispered.

As she peeked at Emmy, she woke up and looked at her, giving her a big smile. "Hey, pretty girl. Are you hungry?" Elizabeth untucked her shirt from her skirt and laid it across her rocking chair and then picked up Emmy. "Were you good for Daddy?" Emmy cooed back at her, kicking her legs and smiling. She then turned her and nursed her, completely unaware that Jack was watching from the bed.

To him, she seemed happy, so why was he worrying? She said she was and that everything she wanted was here, but something was nagging at him, telling him that she needed more than he could give her. He just didn't know what it was.


End file.
